Don't worry we hate spam too, we would never share or sell your email
information.

Lectin Free Diet- Just Another Fad?

by Elaine Guinan on July 20, 2017

Another year, another food fad. Depending on what you read these days, it can seem like every food will make you ill. We are used to dairy and gluten-containing foods being described as toxic, but the newest diet claims that it is lectins in foods we should be worried about. The Lectin Free Diet has been referred to as ‘the next gluten‘ by some articles.

Awareness of lectin has reached the public in part due to the publication of ‘The Plant Paradox’, a New York Times bestseller by Dr Steven Gundry, MD. Dr Gundry believes that lectins are responsible for altering the gut microbiome and making people vulnerable to a range of autoimmune diseases, from rheumatoid arthritis to Crohn’s disease.

What are lectins?

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins found in many plants and animals, particularly pulses, grains and seeds. They are also found in nightshade vegetable such as eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes. Their role in plants is unknown, however some scientists believe lectins function as a deterrent to being eaten by animals or insects, as they can cause illness and death by binding to body cells in the gut.

Should we avoid them?

When it comes to lectins, the total amount eaten at one time is important- most people only consume lectins in small amounts, which do not cause them any side-effects. Certain foods are higher in lectins, for example, there are high levels of a type of lectin called phytohaemagglutinin in raw kidney beans which is can cause symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea if eaten. Many other foods contain lower levels of lectins which do not appear to cause issues when eaten.

Another important thing to note is that several of our cooking methods reduce amount of lectins in the food. Soaking and fermenting foods, and cooking at a high temperature, all reduce the lectin content of the food. As we cook most of our food, the chances of someone eating enough lectins to cause issues is low, unless they are on a raw food diet.

It’s important to remember that most of the foods which contain lectins also contain healthy substances, such as fiber, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals which have been shown to reduce disease risk, including cancer risk. For example, whole-grains, tomatoes and legumes are all listed on the American Institute for Cancer Research’s Foods That Fight Cancer list. There is no limited evidence that lectins cause issues in humans, but there are a wealth of studies showing associations between lectin-containing foods and good health. For example, a higher intake of whole-grains is linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease and death, while eating pulses has been shown to help with weight loss and lowering cholesterol.

Bottom Line

The Lectin Free diet is another example of focusing extensively on one nutrient when it may not be warranted. At the moment, there is no strong evidence showing that lectins harm us. We do know from extensive studies that eating lectins containing foods (such as pulses) is associated with a more healthy life, including reduced risk of cancers, heart disease, stroke and increased likelihood of being a healthy weight. If you haven’t experienced issues related to these foods, it would seem unwise to cut them out unnecessarily.

For most people, lectins are not substances which we have to worry about. If you are having digestion issues, it is best to speak to a registered dietitian, as it may be that you have intolerance to other components in food (for example FODMAPS). Having a consultation with a professional will allow them to pinpoint where your issues are, to avoid unnecessary eliminations.

Our Policy for Protecting Your Online Privacy

BY USING THIS SITE, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE, DO NOT USE THIS SITE.
Cook for Your Life (CFYL) may revise and update these Terms and Conditions at any time. Your continued usage of the website means that you accept any such revisions immediately upon posting. It is your responsibility to remain apprised of such revisions by viewing these Terms and Conditions.
CFYL’S WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
The information on our website is for educational purposes only. Our sole mission is to encourage healthy cooking, with a focus on those touched by cancer. Your use of this website, including the viewing or use of information contained on or obtained through use of this website, or the transmission of information to this website, shall not create or constitute a physician-patient relationship or professional relationship of any kind.
Nothing on CFYL’s website is intended to constitute a medical diagnosis or treatment. No recipe or other writing contained on our site is intended as a form of advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered to be a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a medical professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding your medical care, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding any recipe, product, service or other information referenced on the website. CFYL is NOT LIABLE for any food allergic reactions users’ may experience as a result of preparing one our recipes.
Nothing in this website is intended as a recommendation or endorsement of any specific food stuffs, products, ingredients, procedures, opinions, services, service providers, resources, or other information that may be mentioned on this website. Any reliance on information provided by the website, its personnel, or other persons or entities appearing or mentioned on the website, including information provided by other users of the website, is solely at the user’s own risk.
Reference to any product, service, service provider or resource on this website does not constitute permission to reference CFYL for advertising or endorsement purposes. Further, a reference to any product, service, service provider or resource is to be considered only a partial listing of examples among many others, and the exclusion of additional alternatives does not mean that any other particular product, service, service provider or resource is not comparable to those referenced.
CFYL does not warrant or assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or usefulness of the opinions, food and nutritional facts, or any other information provided on or through this website, or on the Internet generally, And CFYL disclaims all legal liability or responsibility therefor. CFYL is not responsible for the availability of any information contained on or relating to this website, and further disclaims responsibility for any delay, failure, interruption or corruption of any data or other information transmitted in connection with use of this website.
CFYL and related entities, including CFYL’s licensors, suppliers and other persons and entities referenced on this website have no control over and accept no responsibility for compliance with the laws applicable to your country or state of residence.
A user’s sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the site is to stop using the site.
All content and images used on this website are property of Cook For Your Life, Inc.

Our Policy for Protecting Your Online Privacy

This website uses Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the site. The tool uses "cookies," which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors' us of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity for Cook For Your Life.
Cook For Your Life will not (and will not allow any third party to) use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of visitors to our site. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Neither we nor Google will link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user. We will not associate any data gathered from this site with any Personally Identifiable Information from any source, unless you explicitly submit that information via a fill-in form on our website.